Tutorial 15 · 12 min read · Best with Claude or ChatGPT; check against WorkSafe NZ (worksafe.govt.nz) or Safe Work Australia (safeworkaustralia.gov.au)
Draft health & safety paperwork faster, without cutting corners
Small crews in NZ (Health and Safety at Work Act 2015) and Australia (WHS laws) often write a task safety plan for every job. AI can give you a head start on the writing — a first draft of hazards and controls, or a toolbox talk script — so you spend your time on actually checking the site.
What you'll need
- A clear description of the task and the site
- A free AI app
- The relevant official guidance: WorkSafe NZ or Safe Work Australia
- Your crew, on site, for the walk-through
Step 1: Know what AI can't do
It can't see your site, it doesn't know today's conditions, and it can't sign off. Treat the output as a rough draft only.
Step 2: Describe the task and site conditions
Write a few lines: the task, the location (roof, ceiling space, trench, garage), access, weather, who's on site, plant and tools used.
Step 3: Have AI draft hazards, risks and controls
Copy this prompt and fill in the [square brackets]:
Draft a task analysis for [replacing a 180L hot water cylinder in a garage] in [NZ/AU]. Table columns: step, hazard, risk, control (use the hierarchy of controls), who's responsible. Don't cite specific regulations or clause numbers. Mark anything that needs checking against current WorkSafe/Safe Work Australia guidance with 'VERIFY'.
Step 4: Check the draft against official guidance
Go through every 'VERIFY' and every control. Remember the hierarchy of controls: eliminate first, then substitute, isolate or engineer, then admin controls, with PPE last. Delete anything that doesn't apply and add anything missed.
Step 5: Walk through it with the crew on site
Read it together at the start of the job and adjust for what you actually find.
Step 6: Turn it into a 5-minute toolbox talk
Copy this prompt and fill in the [square brackets]:
Turn this into a 5-minute toolbox talk script with 3 questions to ask the crew.
Step 7: Store and sign it
Sign and keep it in your job app or your usual paper system, the same way you always do.
Checklist
- ☐ Draft checked against WorkSafe NZ / Safe Work Australia guidance
- ☐ Every 'VERIFY' resolved
- ☐ Walked through with the crew on site
- ☐ Signed by the responsible person
- ☐ Stored with the job
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using an AI draft without checking it
- Copying the same plan to every job without changes
- Assuming AI knows current regulations